Motion tracking bar graph display

ABSTRACT

A method for evaluating the motion of a moveable object relative to a reference object includes locating the reference object within a three-dimensional coordinate system having first, second, and third positional coordinates such that the position of the reference object is characterized by respective values of the first, second, and third positional coordinates. A display is providing having at least two visual indicators, each indicator being configured as an array of selectively switchable display elements. At a critical position of the moveable object, indicating an offset between the moveable object and the reference object along one of the first, second, and third positional coordinates by selectively switching at least one of the display elements of a first one of the indicators. In the vicinity of the critical position, indicating a dynamic property of the moveable object within the three-dimensional coordinate system by selectively switching at least one of the display elements of a second one of the indicators.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims be the benefit of U.S. Provisional App. No.60/857,125, filed Nov. 7, 2006, and U.S. Provisional App. No.60/874,320, filed Dec. 13, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention presents information about the movement of amechanical device.

In many cases it is desirable to observe the motion of a golf club headin order to be able to properly modify its swing. In order to accomplishthis, some intuitive display should represent the motion of the golfclub head.

The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of theinvention will be more readily understood upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a coordinate axes system.

FIG. 2 illustrates a bar graph display.

FIG. 3 illustrates a six dimensional bar graph display.

FIG. 4 illustrates a collapsed six dimensional display.

FIG. 5 illustrates another collapsed six dimensional display.

FIG. 6 a golf swing monitor.

FIG. 7 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to side.

FIG. 8 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to side andtrajectory.

FIG. 9 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to side, trajectory,and height.

FIG. 10 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to side,trajectory, height, and velocity.

FIG. 11 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to side,trajectory, height, velocity, and angle.

FIG. 12 illustrates a bar graph display showing side to side,trajectory, height, velocity, angle, and suppination.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

It is desirable to develop an intuitive display showing the completevector movement (magnitude and direction) of an object in six dimensions(or any suitable number of dimensions). As an illustrative example theobject is a golf club head when it is swinging through a golf ball. Athree dimensional (3D) Cartesian coordinate axes is shown in FIG. 1. Thegolf club head swings primarily along the direction of the Z axis inFIG. 1. The Y axis is in the vertical direction representing the heightof the club, and the X axis represents the side-to-side (S2S) positionof the club. The origin of the axes is centered on the golf ball. Eachaxis has a linear and rotational movement associated with it. The threeaxes times the two movements (linear, rotational) produces the sixdimensions (6D) mentioned above. In other words, linear movement ismeasured along each axis while rotational movement is measured abouteach axis.

Each movement (linear, rotational) is described by three relatedquantities, position, velocity, and acceleration, (PVA). Each of thesequantities can be positive, zero, or negative. A complete vectormovement of an object moving through this coordinate axes system can bedescribed by using the six dimensions together (3D linear, 3Drotational), referred to as a “superposition.” A 3D Cartesian coordinateaxes system is used to describe, but any 3D coordinate system can beused, i.e., cylindrical, spherical, etc.

FIG. 2 shows a 6D Cartesian coordinate system centered on the front faceof a golf club. A putter is shown in FIG. 2, but any golf club may beused. The club can move along or rotate about each axis (X, Y, Z). Eachof the axes movements is re-created in the illustration on the right bybar graphs using display elements such as light emitting diodes (LEDs.)The display system preferably resembles the coordinate system.

Each bar graph will display movement along its particular axis, linearor rotational. A complicated movement through this coordinate systemwill consist of movements on more than one axis simultaneously. Thisdisplay will intuitively present that movement broken down intocomposite movements along/about each axis. This simplifies a complexmovement into pieces easily comprehended by the person viewing thedisplay.

A movement has three related components (quantities), position,velocity, and acceleration (PVA.) This display is designed to show eachof these components along/about each axis in the linear and rotationaldomain. The total number of bar graphs would be three linear movements(X, Y, Z) plus three rotational movements (X, Y, Z) times threecomponents (PVA) or eighteen (XYZ_(Lin)+XYZ_(Rot))×PVA=18. This is adaunting amount of information to digest with each swing, and some of itis not necessary. In such a case the display could be reduced so thatonly information important to the user is displayed. In the case of agolf club, rotation about the Z and X axes is not necessary to displaysince it would be extremely difficult to rotate a club that way. Thesetwo rotational displays can therefore be omitted. Rotation about the Ywill remain because that movement during a golf swing is very likely tohappen.

Further display simplification can be accomplished by considering thecomponents of a typical movement (in this example a golf club swing.)The Z axis is ideally aligned with the direction that the golf club headshould travel. Position along this axis isn't as important because eachswing of the golf club goes through the position of the ball. Thereforeposition along this axis will be omitted from the display. Accelerationalong the Z axis is less important than velocity so it may be omitted ornot. For the example presented here acceleration will be omitted leavingonly velocity along the Z axis for the display.

The X axis also has one dominant component during a golf swing,position. Velocity and acceleration along this axis are less importantso they will be omitted only for this discussion. Similar logic followsfor the Y axis, or height.

One complicated swing a golf club can make is to not travel directlyalong the Z axis. During a swing the club could move at an angle to theZ axis. This is not a rotation but a linear movement not exactlyparallel with any of the three axes (X, Y, Z). A bar graph will beincluded to display the movement in the X-Z plane. One could also beincluded to display movement in the Y-Z plane but it is not illustrated.

This reduces a display having potentially 18 bar graphs to 6. But theoptimum number of bar graphs in a display will depend on theapplication.

A display constructed in three dimensions would not be terriblypractical because the user would have to be at the correct position andperspective to the display in order to see all the axes indicatorswithout obscuration. To remedy this problem the display is preferablyconstructed in two dimensions in such a way that it retains a threedimensional character.

The X-Z plane as shown in these illustrations is a flat horizontalsurface. The linear Y axis projects up vertically from this surface. TheY axis could be represented in the X-Z plane with the illusion that itprojects vertically. For instance it could be constructed as a portionof a triangle representing an incline. This is shown in FIG. 3 (the Xand Z rotational bar graphs are omitted from FIG. 3 but the displaystill functions as 6D showing linear and rotation components.)

FIG. 3 illustrates three examples of a 6D display. All have three linearsegments (X, Y, X) and one rotational segment (Y). The display on theleft is in the original configuration as previously shown. The displayin the center has the Y rotational display segment collapsed into theX-Z plane but the linear Y axis still projects up out of this plane. Thedisplay on the right collapses the vertical Y axis into the X-Z plane byshaping it as the hypotenuse of a triangle. This triangle represents aramp or an incline. The user can imagine that the bottom of the inclineis lower than the top. This way a linear movement in the X-Z plane canrepresent a change along the Y axis (a change in height.)

Further manipulation of the display is shown in FIG. 4. The left side ofthe figure is copied from the right side of FIG. 3 above. The right sideof FIG. 4 shows a modified version of the left side of FIG. 4.

The left side of FIG. 4 shows the fully collapsed 6D display in itsoriginal form. The same display is shown on the right but in are-arranged format to reduce the clutter. The bar graphs are madesmaller by reducing the number of display elements (LEDs) in each one.The cleaned up display (on the right) shows the same the amount ofinformation as the original display (on the left) though at a reducedresolution because of the shortened bar graphs.

The preferred number of bar graphs was determined to be six. FIG. 5illustrates where these could be added while keeping the displayuncluttered.

The left side of FIG. 5 shows a top view of the display shown FIG. 4above on the right side. In FIG. 5 the viewer is looking straight downon the display. The center of the coordinate axes system is denoted bythe cross-hair in the center of the display. If used for a golf clubswing monitor the golf ball would be centered on this cross-hair.

The right side of FIG. 5 shows the 6D display with two additional bargraphs (X-Z, Y_(Rot2)). The X-Z bar graph represents the direction of alinear movement projected onto the horizontal (X-Z) plane. The Y_(Rot2)represents the angle of the golf club face as it passed over the centerof the display. The other Y rotational display bar graph (Y_(Rot1))represents the rotational velocity of the golf club about the vertical(Y) axis as it passed over the center of the display.

A bar graph typically denotes a minimum (no LEDS illuminated) to amaximum (all LEDS illuminated) value. This type could be referred to asunidirectional. A bar graph can also be designed to show minimum (orzero) when the center LED is illuminated. The LED on one end woulddesignate a maximum value in the negative direction when illuminatedwhile the LED on the other end would designate a maximum value in thepositive direction. This type could be referred to as bidirectional. Inthe case of a golf swing monitor the Z axis designates velocity so aunidirectional bar graph display suffices. The remaining bar graphs onthe swing monitor are bidirectional. The center of each one representsan optimum position/direction/velocity of the golf club.

One embodiment of a golf swing monitor is shown in FIG. 6. The Z axisbar graph display is formed to resemble a speedometer as in anautomobile.

FIG. 7 shows three club positions. The large rectangle in each instance(A-C) is the club head. The small circle inside the rectangle coincideswith the center of the clubface. The large circle in each instance isthe golf ball. The horizontal line going through all three instances isa reference line (L_(c)) passing through the center of each ball andeach bar graph. The series of small rectangles to the left of the ballare display components (i.e. LEDs) forming a bar graph. “A” shows thegolf clubface off to one side (by amount S1) of the center line (L_(c)).The LED corresponding to the position of the center of the clubface isilluminated, none of the others are turned on. The user can see that theclubface is off (above) center of the golf ball. “B” shows the clubfaceoff to the other side (by amount S2) of the ball centerline (belowcenter). The LED corresponding to the position of the center of theclubface is lit up. “C” shows the clubface centered on the ball and thecenter LED is lit up. The LEDs in this bar graph (X) track theside-to-side (S2S) movement of the club. The user has merely to look atwhich LED is lit to accurately know the side-to-side position of theclub, i.e. the illuminated LED moves with the club.

The trajectory of a golf club is the path a club takes through the ballwhen viewed from overhead. As an example, draw a straight line on theground from the center of the ball to the intended destination. This isthe reference line. As the club swings it follows a path that can beprojected onto the ground as a line. For instance, if a golfer swings aclub outside at noon (the sun is directly overhead) a shadow of the clubhead will be cast on the ground. This shadow follows an imaginary lineon the ground defined by the actual path the club took during the swing.This is the trajectory line. If the trajectory line is parallel to thereference line then the trajectory is zero, i.e. there is no angulardifference between the reference line and the trajectory line.

The bar graph displaying trajectory will be curved to illustrate theangular nature of the measurement. FIG. 8 shows three examples of a golfclub head following three different trajectories.

The illustration in FIG. 8 shows three examples of a trajectory by agolf club. In “A” the club follows a path starting in the upper rightand heads toward the lower left. The arrow in the figure indicates thepath the club is taking and also represents the trajectory line. Thispath has an angle of −α to the reference line and is indicated by theilluminated LED in the trajectory bar graph (X-Z). The side-to-sideposition of the club (S1) at the same instance is given by theilluminated LED in the S2S bar graph (X.)

In “B” the club follows a path starting from the lower right and headstoward the upper left. The arrow in the figure indicates the path theclub is taking and also represents the trajectory line of the club head.This path has an angle of +a to the reference line and is indicated bythe illuminated LED in the trajectory bar graph (X-Z.) The S2S positionof the club (S2) at the same instance is given by the illuminated LED inthe S2S bar graph (X.)

In “C” the trajectory of the club head is parallel with the referenceline. This is indicated to the user by the center LED in the trajectorybar graph (X-Z) being illuminated. The clubface is also centered in thisexample as shown by the center LED in the S2S bar graph (X) beingilluminated.

Another example of club head position is the height of the clubface. Ifthe center of the face of the club is the same height as the center ofthe ball then an LED in the center of the height bar graph (Y) isilluminated. If the club is above the center of the ball then acorresponding LED above the center of the bar graph will be illuminated.If the club is below the center of the ball a corresponding LED belowthe center of the bar graph will be illuminated. The concept is similarto the S2S position tracking described above. But this bar graphrepresents height rather than S2S position.

The bar graph shown in FIG. 9 (to track height) is for illustrationpurposes only. In order to avoid confusion with the S2S position displaythe height bar graph is set on a slope. It is meant to be a graphicalrepresentation of an incline or a ramp.

The vertical line adjacent to each golf ball in FIG. 9 above representsthe center of the golf ball and also the center of each height bar graph(Y.) In “A” the height of the club is higher than the center of the balland an LED “higher” than the center of the display is illuminated. In“B” the height of the club is lower than the center of the ball and anLED “lower” than the center of the ball is illuminated. In “C” theclubface is centered on the ball, i.e. its center is the same height asthe center of the golf ball and the “center” LED is illuminated. Theilluminated LED moves with the club.

Referring to FIG. 10, the velocity of a golf club head during impactwith the ball can be displayed by a bar graph resembling the speedometerof an automobile.

Example “A” in FIG. 10 shows a relatively slow swing by illuminating anLED towards the left side of the curved bar graph (Z.) Example “B” showsa medium speed swing by illuminating an LED in the center of the Z bargraph. Example “C” shows a relatively fast swing by illuminating an LEDtoward the right side of the Z bar graph.

Referring to FIG. 11, another example of club head position is angle.FIG. 11 illustrates three top views of the golf club head behind theball.

The golf club head angle is shown above in FIG. 11. Each example has anarrow coming perpendicularly out of the front face of the golf club. Inexample “A” the arrow points downward with the value −β, as indicated bythe Y_(Rot2) bar graph. In example “B” the arrow points upward with thevalue +β, as indicated by the Y_(Rot2) bar graph. And in example “C” thearrow points directly to the left, i.e. no angle, or an angle of valuezero as indicated by the Y_(Rot2) bar graph (center LED is illuminated.)

Referring to FIG. 12, another example of golf club head motion isrotation about the shaft of the golf club. This is generally referred toas “suppination.” When done properly, suppination can add importantdistance when driving the ball. The following illustration shows threeexamples of a display giving information on the rotation velocity of thegolf club head.

The golf club head rotation in FIG. 12 above is shown using examplesA-C. In example A the head is shown rotating counter clockwise by avalue of +λ as shown by bar graph Y_(Rot1). In example B the golf clubhead is shown rotating clockwise by a value of −λ as shown by bar graphY_(Rot1). In example C there is no rotation. The bar graph Y_(Rot1)shows this by illuminating the center (zero value) LED.

In general the 6D display described herein is designed to be intuitiveand accurate. It's designed to provide quantitative data to the user ofindependent vector parameters of an object moving in a complex manner.The example used in this document is a golf club head during a typicalswing but this display will work for any mechanical movement.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoingspecification are used therein as terms of description and not oflimitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms andexpressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown anddescribed or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of theinvention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

1. A method for evaluating the motion of a moveable object relative to areference object comprising: (a) locating said reference object within athree-dimensional coordinate system having first, second, and thirdpositional coordinates such that the position of said reference objectis characterized by respective values of said first, second, and thirdpositional coordinates; (b) providing a display having at least twovisual indicators, each indicator being configured as an array ofselectively switchable display elements; (c) at a critical position ofsaid moveable object, indicating an offset between said moveable objectand said reference object along one of said first, second, and thirdpositional coordinates by selectively switching at least one of saiddisplay elements of a first one of said indicators; and (d) in thevicinity of said critical position, indicating a dynamic property ofsaid moveable object within said three-dimensional coordinate system byselectively switching at least one of said display elements of a secondone of said indicators.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said moveableobject is the head portion of a golf club.
 3. The method of claim 1wherein said reference object is a golf ball.
 4. The method of claim 1wherein said offset and said array of said first one of said indicatorsare linear.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said array of said secondone of said indicators is curvilinear.
 6. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid dynamic property is an angle of approach based on the angle betweenan axis of intended trajectory of said reference object and an axis ofmotion of said moveable object as said moveable object closelyapproaches said reference object as evaluated with each said axis beingprojected onto a common plane within said three dimensional coordinatesystem.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said dynamic property isvelocity.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said dynamic property atleast in part describes a rotational movement by said moveable objectabout one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates. 9.The method of claim 1 including selectively switching only one of saiddisplay elements of said first one of said indicators.
 10. The method ofclaim 1 including selectively switching a series of said displayelements of said second one of said indicators.
 11. The method of claim1 wherein said three-dimensional coordinate system is a rectangularcoordinate system having mutually perpendicular coordinate axes.
 12. Themethod of claim 1 including configuring each array as a bank oflight-emitting diodes (LED's).
 13. The method of claim 1 including, atsaid critical position of said moveable object, indicating anotheroffset between said moveable object and said reference object alonganother one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates byselectively switching at least one of said display elements of anotherone of said indicators.
 14. The method of claim 1 including, at saidcritical position of said moveable object, indicating a rotationaloffset of said moveable object about one of said first, second, andthird positional coordinates by selectively switching at least one ofsaid display elements of a third one of said indicators.
 15. The methodof claim 1 including evaluating a sports technique of a user in handlingsaid moveable object by signaling with said indicators how closely saiduser replicates a preferred motion of said moveable object.
 16. Themethod of claim 1 including enabling a user to practice an exemplaryform of handling said moveable object by selecting at least one targetelement from among said display elements of each indicator and byindicating how closely said user conforms to said exemplary form in eachpractice session by varying how closely the switched elements of eachindicator conform to said at least one target element.
 17. A system forevaluating the motion of a moveable object relative to a referenceobject comprising: (a) a locating device to locate the position of saidreference object within a three-dimensional coordinate system havingfirst, second, and third positional coordinates such that the positionof said reference object is characterized by respective values of saidfirst, second, and third positional coordinates; (b) a display having atleast two visual indicators, each indicator being configured as an arrayof selectively switchable display elements; (c) a switch controlconnected to a first one of said indicators and configured toselectively switch at least one of said display elements of said firstone of said indicators to indicate, at a critical position of saidmoveable object, an offset between said moveable object and saidreference object along one of said first, second, and third positionalcoordinates; and (d) said switch control being connected to a second oneof said indicators and configured to selectively switch at least one ofsaid display elements of said second one of said indicators to indicate,in the vicinity of said critical position, a dynamic property of saidmoveable object within said three-dimensional coordinate system.
 18. Thesystem of claim 17 wherein said locating device is a stop to immovablyfix said position configured such that said position of said referenceobject is characterized by predetermined values of said first, second,and third positional coordinates.
 19. The system of claim 18 whereinsaid predetermined values represent the origin coordinates for saidthree-dimensional coordinate system.
 20. The system of claim 18 whereinsaid reference object is shaped as a golf ball.
 21. The system of claim20 wherein said stand is adapted to removably receive said golf ball insaid characterized position.
 22. The system of claim 18 wherein saidstand has a generally planar surface and said indicators are disposed onsaid surface in distributed arrangement about said reference object. 23.A system for evaluating the motion of a moveable object relative to areference object comprising: (a) a locating device to locate theposition of said reference object within a three-dimensional coordinatesystem having first, second, and third positional coordinates such thatthe position of said reference object is characterized by respectivevalues of said first, second, and third positional coordinates; (b) adisplay having at least two visual indicators, each indicator beingconfigured as an array of selectively switchable display elements; (c) aswitch control connected to a first one of said indicators andconfigured to selectively switch at least one of said display elementsof said first one of said indicators to indicate, at a critical positionof said moveable object, a first offset between said moveable object andsaid reference object along a first one of said first, second, and thirdpositional coordinates; and (d) said switch control being connected to asecond one of said indicators and configured to selectively switch atleast one of said display elements of said second one of said indicatorsto indicate, at said critical position of said moveable object, a secondoffset between said moveable object and said reference object along asecond one of said first, second, and third positional coordinates; and(e) said first and second one of said indicators being disposed ingenerally coplanar arrangement such that the respective arrays of saidfirst and second one of said indicators extend generally in obliquedirections relative to each other.
 24. The system of claim 23 whereinsaid first and second offsets represent a side-to-side displacement anda vertical displacement, respectively, substantially parallel to andsubstantially perpendicular to, respectively, said coplanar arrangementof said indicators.
 25. The system of claim 23 wherein said switchcontrol is configured to selectively switch only one of said displayelements in the respective array of each of said first and second one ofsaid indicators to indicate said first and second offset, respectively.26. The system of claim 23 wherein said switch control is connected to athird one of said indicators and configured to selectively switch atleast one of said display elements of said third one of said indicatorsto indicate, in the vicinity of said critical position, a dynamicproperty of said moveable object within said three-dimensionalcoordinate system.
 27. The system of claim 26 wherein said switchcontrol is configured to selectively switch only one of said displayelements of either of said first and second indicators to indicateeither of said first and second offsets and more than one of saiddisplay elements of said third indicator to indicate said dynamicproperty of said moveable object.
 28. The system of claim 26 whereinsaid first, second, and third one of said indicators are disposed ingenerally coplanar arrangement such that the respective arrays of saidfirst and second one of said indicators are substantially linear forvisually signifying either of said offsets and the array of said thirdone of said indicators is substantially curvilinear for visuallysignifying said dynamic property.